Overview & Reviews

Mitsubishi has built its brand in the United States with a selection of cars and SUVs that tend to offer above-average performance and style. The parent company has its roots in producing commercial vehicles for its home market of Japan.

A Japanese word meaning "three diamonds," Mitsubishi was founded in by Yataro Iwasaki, a descendant of samurais, in the early 1870s. The company's initial focus was on shipping, but it quickly diversified into areas such as mining and ship repair. In 1917, Mitsubishi unveiled the Model A, Japan's first series production passenger car.

It wasn't until 1960, with the launch of the compact Mitsubishi 500, that the company began producing passenger vehicles on a large scale. That decade also saw the launch of other Mitsubishi light passenger vehicles like the 360 Van and 360 Pickup. The company also distinguished itself on the racetrack during this decade, taking top honors in Japan's Grand Prix.

Mitsubishi's automobile production arm was officially spun off into a company of its own with the establishment of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in 1970. The company's Colt made its way to American shores in 1971, the same year in which Chrysler purchased a 15 percent stake in the new company. However, the Colt wasn't sold under the Mitsubishi name, but rather under the Dodge brand, reflecting Chrysler's interest in the company. By the end of the decade, Mitsubishi was producing more than 1 million cars per year.

In 1982, Mitsubishi began selling cars in the U.S. under its own name. Through the '80s it offered a variety of cars for the states, including the subcompact Mirage, turbocharged Starion sports car and midsize Galant sedan. Mitsubishi hit its stride in the '90s, thanks to the popularity of the Eclipse sport coupe and 3000GT sports car in the U.S. and the turbocharged Lancer Evolution in other parts of the world.

Chrysler made the most of its partnership, as it used Mitsubishi platforms under many of its models. The Eclipse, in particular, was a key vehicle produced by the Diamond Star Motors partnership. In 1998, Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz to become DaimlerChrysler. Mitsubishi's partnership continued with DaimlerChrysler for a few years but was financially terminated by 2003.

The new millennium has been a struggle for Mitsubishi. Its vehicles have grown stale with consumers and sales have wavered. At one point the company was forced to admit that it had systematically covered up vehicle defects in Japan. On the upside, though, the company's compact, high-performance sedan, the Lancer Evolution, has been a continuing success in the United States. Going forward, Mitsubishi plans to revitalize its brand by developing environmentally friendly vehicles (such as its all-electric "i" hatchback) that are still fun to drive.

User Reviews:

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  Happy with my 01 - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero
  By dookie! - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I bought an 01 XLS 4spd in 11/01 due to the rep. of earlier Montys and a 0% loan. ~66k miles later despite a few faults Im quite pleased. The bad: Needs more power. Towing ~3500lbs of car/trailer Im thankful for climbing lanes! ~17mpg avg. w/OEM tires (~15 now w/265/75LT ATs). Excessive driveline lash. Plastic skidplates. Resale is miserable, but Ill be keeping it. Local dealer network sucks. The good: Not a single problem (Im diligent about maintenance). Brakes went ~55k and work very well (better w/aftermarket pads & fluid). Great ride and handling. Killer sunroof! *Very* capable offroad, but Ive installed real skidplates, 2" OME lift, and tires

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  REPLACE SENSOR AND REAR HEATING PIPE - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero
  By CYRIL - July 12 - 10:00 am

  STARTED HAVING MINOR PROBLEMS FROM 25K MILES.AT ABOUT 55,000 MILES THE SUV BROKE DOWN. THE DEALER INFORMED ME HAT MY REAR HEATING HOSE BROKE CAUSING THE ANTIFREEZE TO WASTE CAUSING OVERHEATING AND ENGINE DAMAGE. SHORTLY BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUTT OFF, I INSPECTED MY THERMOSTAT DISPALY FOR ANY OF TROULBLE WITH OVERHEATING- EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. THE THERMOSTAT HAD FAILED! MITSI DENIED MY CLAIM ON THE GROUND THAT EVEN THOUGH THE POWERTRAIN WAS COVERED, THE REAR HOSE PIPE THAT BROKE WAS NOT COVERED. MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT MITSHI.USED A PLASTIC PIPE TO CONNECT THE REAR HEATING PIPE TO THE EVER-HOT RADIATOR. THUS ANY EXTENDED USAGE OF THE REAR HEATING WOULD NATURALLY CAUSE A DAMAGE. I AM SUEING

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  NO BRAKES - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By used car blues - July 12 - 10:00 am

  this car is OK. bought it at 1 year old for 11,000 so i have not lost 10 grand in the first year. biggest problem is the brakes, the rotors have been warped by "my driving" 3 times in 20 thousand miles. my accord never had this problem in 120 thousand miles.i guess the car is ok if you buy it used, new for 20k ouch! next time i will go back to honda.

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  One of the best cars Ive owned - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By casetractor - July 10 - 1:49 pm

  Having owned at least 20 cars in my time, the Montero Sport is hands down one of my favorites. It has it all in terms of reliability, versatility, dependability, and value, and it looks pretty decent to boot. Having just turned 140,000 miles, I can honestly say nothing has gone wrong with the car, it still gets around 19 MPG combined, and Ive only done the recommended maintenance. The interior is simple yet durable, and stands up to the daily abuse my two young kids submit to it. If I could find another Montero with fewer miles, I would purchase another one without hesitation and own two.

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  Galant Lover - 2006 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Joe & Nayra - July 10 - 9:00 am

  This is the second Galant weve owned. The first one was a 2003 model. We bought it used with 140,000 miles on it and it drove very good for three years. With that type of dependability we decided to go for another one. The 2006 model we just bought has 60,000 miles on it but drives great and it looks like new inside out!

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  Very nice for the money - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By jspin77 - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new in 2000. Overall the car is great (for the price). I have not had a single problem yet and have almost 60k miles on it. I was very impressed when I slid in to a curb and hit one of my tires (very hard) and the alignment was still rock solid. I have one minor glich with the stereo. Sometimes the display goes blank but if you just turn it on and off, it comes back on. Also, when the hatchback opens and it has water on it, the water goes into the trunk. Make sure you get the aluminum gas cap, I just laugh at all you and your plastic ones.

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  Suprised by an eclipse - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By rjmorgan - July 9 - 2:00 am

  This was not the first car I drove. I used to be an Acura man but the GTS won me over. Most of the downfalls of the Gt have been addressed in the GTS. Better interior materials, slightly more horsepower at 210, A cold air intake and geared to be more of a sports car and an exahst that turns heads with its mean sound.

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  Beautiful Vehicle - What a Looker! - 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Paul - July 7 - 11:36 am

  This is the second Eclipse that I have owned. This one is a true looker! Performance is a big plus. Fair gas mileage. Fun to drive, corners well, 4 cylinder is plenty fast. Excellent sound system, leather seating is a bit stiff but overall comfort is fine. Very quiet interior, which reminds me of a cockpit of a race car! Must know how to drive this vehicle as there are plenty of blind spots. Pricing is modest, the warranty is one of the best out there, period! Not to mention the safety features are incredible, what with 6 air bags and steel- reinforced doors. Overall, what a beautiful vehicle at a very affordable price! Mitsubishi and Toyota are one in the same as far as value vehicles.

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  Naaa - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Miguel - July 6 - 7:23 pm

  This car is a new model yes, but dont let the looks fool you. I rather perfer the 99 model, in all ways except for the stereo system, but as of now with all new cars, the stereo systems are at their supreme sound quality.

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  Very Fun CUV - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By biscuit_xls - July 6 - 6:56 pm

  Ive had my Outlander XLS V6 4WD for almost a year and 11,000 miles. So far its been a really good vehicle. Fun to drive, handles good, decent fuel economy (20mpg+), and lots of great features. I cross-shopped all CUVs, it came down to the Outlander vs. RAV4 V6. The Outlander won because of better styling and a lot of useful features. I think I like the Outlander even more after driving it for a year!